As soon as he landed, the Egyptians, by Pothinus's orders, stabbed and beheaded him on the sand.

Pothinus and his council had decided that this would be the safest course.

If they were to receive Pompey, they reasoned, Caesar would be made their enemy; if they refused to receive him, Pompey himself would be offended, and they did not know which of the two it would be safe to displease; for they did not know in what way, if both the generals were to be allowed to live, the war would ultimately end.

"But by killing Pompey," they said, "we shall be sure to please Caesar and Pompey himself will _lie still."_ In the mean time, Caesar, not knowing to what part of Egypt Pompey had fled, pressed on directly to Alexandria.

He exposed himself to great danger in so doing, for the forces under his command were not sufficient to protect him in case of his becoming involved in difficulties with the authorities there.